Journey With Jonathan: Entry #13
Falafel Afteem
One of my memories of growing up in Bethlehem is eating falafel from Afteem. Afteem is a refugee from Jaffa, from where he fled in 1948 during the Nakba and started, with his children, a small falafel stand in the Manger Square in Bethlehem. His falafel is the very best in the world, bar none. Often copied and imitated, but never equaled. It is crisp and fragrant on the outside yet soft and lucious on the inside. He makes it from scratch, soaking the chickpeas for over 24 hours and adding his unique mix of spices before deep frying it in oil. Truly delicious.
I asked his son, who is the current proprietor of the shop and still in the Bethlehem's Manger Square, for permission to take a picture with him, which he graciously permitted. I told him I remembered him since my childhood. He asked my family name, and when I told him my father was George Kuttab, he said: “are you Jonathan?” What a treat!
